US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will come face-to-face for the first time since that fiery January phone call rocked the allies' relationship.
US President Donald Trump. Photo / AP
Trump will host Turnbull next week on the USS Intrepid, the decommissioned World War II aircraft carrier that is the centrepiece of Manhattan'sIntrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
The May 5 event will be held to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea.
US Vice-President Mike Pence, on his recent Australian tour, and other Trump Administration officials have worked to soothe the relationship after the January 28 phone call abruptly ended when Trump told Turnbull it was "the worst call by far" on a day of conversations he had with world leaders.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer went out of his way to warmly announce the meeting. "I just want to proudly announce ... the President will speak aboard the USS Intrepid in New York City to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea - a major naval battle during World War II in which the United States joined with Australia to halt the advance of enemy forces," Spicer told reporters at his daily briefing with reporters.
"That same day at the museum the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia.
"The President looks forward to meeting the Prime Minister and showcasing the enduring bonds, deep friendship and close alliance the US has with Australia".
Trump was upset during the January 29 call by the asylum seeker deal Turnbull negotiated last year with them US President Barack Obama. Trump reluctantly agreed to go ahead with the deal as long as the refugees undergo "extreme vetting".
